INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Fever rookie Kelsey Mitchell might as well have been looking in the mirror.

With the Fever still searching for its first victory of the season, Mitchell battled head-to-head with Dallas Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. Even though Diggins-Smith is in her sixth WNBA season, Mitchell’s performance nearly earned the Fever a win.

But the former IndyStar Miss Basketball was one notch better as the Wings defeated the Fever 89-83 Friday night.

“It sucks because we’re fighting hard,” Mitchell said. “People may have their criticisms of us, but we are working. When you fall short like that, it hurts.”

Diggins-Smith finished the game with 35 points while Mitchell tied her career high with 26.

“I know she’s a great player, so it wasn’t about necessarily competing one-on-one against her," Mitchell said. “Trying to get the win.”

Back-and-forth in the first quarter, Mitchell traded buckets with Diggins-Smith. Mitchell had 11 points in the first quarter, while Diggins-Smith had 12.

In the second quarter, the Fever raced out to a 13-point lead. Indiana's other rookies – Victoria Vivians and Brownsburg's Stephanie Mavunga – combined for 11 points in the quarter. The Wings climbed back to within four points at halftime.

“They went on an 11-2 run,” Fever coach Pokey Chatman said. ”That’s where that momentum shift came. During that run, one of the heads of their snake, Liz Cambage got five of their 11.”

That This was the first halftime lead of the season for the Fever.

Midway through the third quarter, the Wings retook the lead, but the Fever would regain the lead by the end of the quarter. Center Natalie Achonwa scored eight points in the third quarter.

Midway through the fourth quarter the teams were tied, but the Wings made crucial plays to win the game. Mitchell wasn’t able to make the requisite plays down the stretch to win. Diggins-Smith did.

The Fever led by two with 44 seconds left, but Diggins-Smith drove to the basket, made the shot and was fouled. She missed the free throw, but Glory Johnson got the putback and gave the Wings a two-point lead.

“A lot of it had to do with immaturity,” Mitchell said. “Turned it over twice in crunch time. That’s immature on my part. Small things like that that can’t happen down the stretch of a game."

Chatman said her young team is continuing to learn tough lessons.

"This is going to sting; it's going to hurt," Chatman said. "I hear sniffles and crying in there. I'm like, 'Good.' When you work so hard and it means that much to you, you're going to correct that. We'll get to that point."